TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 3, 2016) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

President and CEO of the Almas Jiwani Foundation, Ms. Almas Jiwani, will address officials from the Kenyan High Commission in Canada, the Kenya Community in Ontario's (KCO) Women's Forum Committee, and community members at the Inaugural Madaraka Day Youth Awards Ceremony Gala hosted by the KCO Women's Forum Committee.

Almas Jiwani will join the KCO in celebrating youth as well as Madaraka Day, the day commemorating Kenya's independence as a country. Proceeds from the event will be allocated towards KCO's youth and family programs.

"Youth play an incredibly critical role in building the capacity of our countries," said Almas Jiwani. "They represent the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and political leaders. Youth in the developing world deserve the same degree of empowerment and opportunity as in developed countries". "Helping to celebrate youth on Madaraka Day will encourage them to forge the path forward, while also reflecting on the long path it took to gain Kenyan independence," she said.

Almas Jiwani holds years of experience in youth empowerment through entrepreneurship and business innovation from her successful career as CEO of Frontier Canada Inc. and her experience as UN Women National Committee Canada President. She is internationally renowned speaker and philanthropist, the audacious catalyst and epitome of gender equality and women's economic empowerment.

Pauline Wangari M, the President of KCO's Women's Forum Committee expressed her excitement at Almas Jiwani's attendance: "We chose Almas Jiwani because of the great work she does as a global voice for gender equality and women's rights," she said.

Almas Jiwani is a fiercely vocal and internationally renowned champion for gender equality and women's social, economic, and political empowerment. She has travelled across the globe to deliver keynote addresses, speeches and presentations on improving the status of women. She has addressed over 400 parliamentarians from 42 countries on the benefits of economically empowering women and the roles and responsibilities of parliamentarians at the International Assembly in the Dominican Republic and Quebec City.

ABOUT THE ALMAS JIWANI FOUNDATION

Empowering women and girls through focused projects that directly address gender equality, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment and energy rights. Through empowering women and girls in targeted areas, AJF hopes to improve societal and economic conditions in the developing world. Projects include providing sustainable energy to provide a better education, better living conditions and to create the environment where women can thrive as entrepreneurs in any region.

ABOUT THE KENYAN COMMUNITY OF ONTARIO WOMEN'S FORUM

The Kenyan Community of Ontario Women's Forum celebrates and recognizes the contributions of young people in their community. The purpose of the youth award is to promote a positive image of young people and to generate awareness of the valuable contributions that their youth make in the community. They are seeking to identify youth that exemplify the 3R's: Respect, Responsibility and the Role of Leadership through initiatives that enhance the skills that are needed as they venture into a brighter future. These awards celebrate and honor the qualities that are important in making of a strong and vibrant community of leaders.

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